1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers and their closures, and more particularly to laboratory vials and containers having tethered caps which seal the vial or container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many containers currently exist which may be used as specimen collectors and containers in hospitals and laboratories. Often these devices include two separate pieces, a cap and a vial. When a specimen is to be placed into the container or removed therefrom, the cap is removed and often placed on a surface where it might possibly become contaminated.
Other containers have caps which are each integrally connected to a strap or tether which can be or is connected to the container so that when the cap is removed from the container mouth, the cap remains tethered to the container by the strap. This type of container and tethered cap is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,958,439 to Yochem, No. 3,419,179 to Deuschle et al., and No. 3,799,426 to Pates et al.
It is often desirable to color-code the container caps for product or specimen differentiation. A problem may occur if the specimen or product contained in the vial comes into contact with the color-coded cap and thereby becomes contaminated with the chemicals used for coloring the cap. It is another common practice to label a vial to indicate the product or specimen contained therein. Labels are often applied to the vial using an adhesive or some other means to retain the label on the vial. A problem occurs when the label falls off the vial, thus rendering identification of the specimen or product contained therein more difficult.